Publication Details

Category Text Publication
Reference Category Journals
DOI 10.1007/s11104-022-05685-x
Licence creative commons licence
Title (Primary) Field scale plant water relation of maize (Zea mays) under drought – impact of root hairs and soil texture
Author Jorda, H.; Ahmed, M.A.; Javaux, M.; Carminati, A.; Duddek, P.; Vetterlein, D.; Vanderborght, J.
Source Titel Plant and Soil
Year 2022
Department BOSYS
Volume 478
Issue 1-2
Page From 59
Page To 84
Language englisch
Topic T5 Future Landscapes
Supplements https://static-content.springer.com/esm/art%3A10.1007%2Fs11104-022-05685-x/MediaObjects/11104_2022_5685_MOESM1_ESM.docx
Keywords Drought stress; Roots; Maize; Root hairs; Field scale; Model
Abstract Background and aims
Impact of drought on crop growth depends on soil and root hydraulic properties that determine the access of plant roots to soil water. Root hairs may increase the accessible water pool but their effect depends on soil hydraulic properties and adaptions of root systems to drought. These adaptions are difficult to investigate in pot experiments that focus on juvenile plants.
Methods
A wild-type and its root hairless mutant maize (Zea mays) were grown in the field in loam and sand substrates during two growing seasons with a large precipitation deficit. A comprehensive dataset of soil and plant properties and monitored variables were collected and interpreted using simulations with a mechanistic root water uptake model.
Results
Total crop water use was similar in both soils and for both genotypes whereas shoot biomass was larger for the wild type than for the hairless mutant and did not differ between soils. Total final root length was larger in sand than in loam but did not differ between genotypes. Simulations showed that root systems of both genotypes and in both soils extracted all plant available soil water, which was similar for sand and loam, at a potential rate. Leaf water potentials were overestimated by the model, especially for the hairless mutant in sand substrate because the water potential drop in the rhizosphere was not considered.
Conclusions
A direct effect of root hairs on water uptake was not observed but root hairs might influence leaf water potential dependent growth.
Persistent UFZ Identifier https://www.ufz.de/index.php?en=20939&ufzPublicationIdentifier=26599
Jorda, H., Ahmed, M.A., Javaux, M., Carminati, A., Duddek, P., Vetterlein, D., Vanderborght, J. (2022):
Field scale plant water relation of maize (Zea mays) under drought – impact of root hairs and soil texture
Plant Soil 478 (1-2), 59 - 84 10.1007/s11104-022-05685-x